Separating and feeding device for sheets, cards, envelops, and the like.



PATENTBD AUGfB, 1907.

. 6; A. EBMPER. SBPARATING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR SHEETS, CARDS ENVELOPE,

AND THE 131KB. APPLIUATIOE FILED Jmmz, 1906. 115mm!) JAN. 2, womHHEETS-SHEET R. E. &-A. KEMPER. v SBPARATING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR su ars, mans, ENVBLOBS,

AND THE LIKE. APPLIOATIOH I'IL JAH.22,1906. nmmwnnun. 2,-1907.

PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

4 smug-sun's 2.

No. 862,172. PATENTED we. a, 1.90: a. .13. av; A. KEEPER SEPARATING AND FEEDING 3232mm: FOR SHEETS,

BN1 Lin.

APPLIOATIOZI FILED JAILSQ; 1906. RENE CARDS; ENVELOPS,

WED JAN. 2, 1907.

2 72 SEEETB-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

[gv ENTORS kg R. E. & A. KEMPER.

SEPARATING AND FEEDING DEVICE FOR SHEETS, CARDS, ENVELOP S,

AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.22, 1906. RENEWED JAN. 2, 1907.

PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4) they may he BtEtIUI'Ltl to a s ROBE RT K [EM-PER. A N D ARTE 17F h lillll Pl ll, OF

SEPARA'IING Asp FEEDING- DEVICEFOR snss're; ermine, Envsmrs,

Specification of Letters Patent.

it? A A.

REXSSELA EB, N EW Y ORK.

ANS THE Partented. .Aug. 6, life.

Application filell' January 22, 190$,Serial Ila-397,309. lianewci January 2, ill Serial-No. 3501:45.

lie it known that we, Runner-l). Kmirsn and A11 'rnun Kl'lMll-llt eitizens ol' the United States 'reshlin' 1 i n I slot I: in the table l), lo gmeing the plate 0 in its IIIUVG- at. ltensselaer, iirthe eonnly ol' l terisselai-r anti State ol'New York, have lll-v'llillt'tltflfilzllll neii' null nsel ul Impr vements in Automatic Separating and Feeding Devices for Sheets", Cards, llnyelops, aml the like; -nnd we (in ln-rehy-deelnre the l'ollowingto be a hail, elear, ainl exar-l. ilrsrription ol' the invention, stir-has will enable others skilled in the art to whit-hit upper, tains to llltlliH-Zliltl use the same. I Onr invention eonsists in the novel leatures hereinalter ileseriherl. reference being hall to the aeeo npnnying drawings which illustrate one lorni or embodi- ('losed in the following, description and claims.

Referring to the drawing Figure-l represents it persper'ti ve view of a ieeiling apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 represents-a side elevation of the same showing, the movable gripper-or l'eerling (lei/ice proper in its luwer aml open position, as in Fig. 1-. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the gripper in elet'aterl position and eloseil to grip one of theartieles to he es. Fig. isa similar view showing the gripper in an inter mediate position carrying with it theartiele tr be ieil, Fig.- 5 is a shle elevation of the apparatus, showing the opposite side to that represented in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, with the gripper in its lower and open position. Fig (3 represents a central longitudinalse tiullal view of the apparatus, the parts being in the position shown. in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is 21. detail perspective view of a portion of the gripper showing it in its lower and open p0 sition. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the gripper.

conseeiltively llexihle articles of substantially unil'ofln size such as cards, envelope, sneets of paper aim} the like, and the apparatus is adapted and applicable to and use with a printing press, although we do not olesire to he limited to its use in such eonneotion.

Referring to the drawings A, A represent the side l'raines ol' the :rrmaralus, which are provided with standards a u provided with aoertnres a It by which .itl'llo liaise or support, which may be a part of the frame ot a printing press, or other apparalns to whieli if is Ll i rerl to leeil articles consecutively.

'lhe sirle frames are in this instnnee eeniieeteil by an llltllllt'll supporting lulrle ll, oi wood, (or other unite" rial to whirl: th y arentlaeheil, nn l whieh serves as a t represent a reor soppoil lei the articles to he leil.

Llirular lo the support or leole ll, :tlltl. forming theremerit of the invention and suirl invention is fully (listhe lingers g to he nrljnsteil are in open position as saown in with hopper to hold a series ol articles to lie lee; which imlieaterl at D, The plate G'is provided on its rear ,..tlU-Willl an extension c eng ing a longitudinal extends-around a pulley, loosely mounted on a rock.

shalt F in imated in the side frames, anti thence to the extension 0 of the. push plate, so that the winding of the cord is around the shalt E will cause the push phite to e apwnrii on the table ll 30 as to :Ldinnee the tieles l) toward the upper oifdelivery emi oi the hepw per.

We aiso provide mechanism for. automatically operating the said push plate (3, which will be uros ently described.

- To t e rock shalt- F before referreci to, is cured what we term at swinging gripper or feeding frenre, WlllCil eoiup: ses two arms G i secured to the rock shalt at opposite sides of the apparatus and. eonneeteil. by cross bar 51 neztr'tlleir outer ends, which cross be: is rigidly secured-to the said arms lay acre 1; g. Upon the t, s her-g are mounted arljastnlt-ly two ozmore rigid gripper lingers eaeh provided with an :rture through which the bar 5; passes time. rigidly seemed to said bar a set screw g. T is construction permits lengitmlinelly of niec- .nnnntecl ii :21:

gr; p--

with :1 arm g {see igsihji to & fhelusive) rigidly secured thereto ml to t outer end oi snirl iir niseenred a spring 9" the 5 te mm ivhieh is secured tethe arm 0 t 'llieeonstiutttion is such that when the-gripper lin l. for example, the arin {1" will be below an imaginary line ass through the point oi ittaelunent y of the spring illlli the axis of the roelnshal't and when the gripper ling rs {so in closer! position as inklieaterl in Fig. 3 or example. the arm {1* will he above such a line. 'ilie 'ing y will therefore servet lhJltl the tension oi ahle push late, disposed transversely of ami perpeir gripper lingers in either open or closed-positimn fine when the gri per lingers: are moved from one posit-tor to the other in either direction, as soon as .the outer end of the arm g has passed said imaginary line, the

tension of the spring will cause it to complete its movement with an instantaneous movement as will be readily understood.

We provide stops for limiting the movement of the rock shaft in both directions, under the influence of spring 9, which are clearly shown in'Figs. 7 and 8. The rock shaft 9 is provided at the end opposite that to which arm 9 is secured, with a rearwardly extending arm g, which has an end portion constructed to lie between two stops 9 and g secured to or east integrally with the adjacent arm G of the gripper lrame as the engagement of the movable lingers with the 'rigid' fingers will of necessity'limit the movement of the rock shaft 9' in that direction the stop g might be dispensed'with if desired. The arm g is also provided with an outwardly extending stud or pin which we term the trippin.

In order to trip the pin g and actuate the rock'sliaft g and the movable gripper" fingers g ,-we provide the side frame A with a bracket A havinga projection'or shoulder at its upper and lower ends, lettered'a a and arranged so as to engage the trip pin g when the grip- I per frame is swung up or down.

H. represents the driving shaft of the apparatus "which may be driven in any suitable manner, as by a sprocket wheel 7:, and-chain h from a rotary part, for example, a shaft on the printing press with which it is to be em-' ployed. At one end said shaft is provided with a crank it connected by a link h with a crank pin or At the opposite end oi the rock shaft F the arm Gis provided with a crank pin g to which is attached a long pawl P the end 10 of which engages a ratchet wheel E on the winding shaft E, and alocking pawl p is also provided to prevent the ratchet wheel. from moving -backward. 'lhe operating pawl P is also provided with an inclined release arm p extending upwardly i and forwardly in an inclined direction from the crank pin 9". l

R represents a feed release arm pivoted to the side frame A extending upwardly therefrom and provided with a transverse bar T which extends across the front feeding devices or gripping lingers, and l'or this purarm 5', pivoted thereto and provided at it iose we' employ the form of separating device shown, JOSCTlbOll and claimed in our former application for Lottcrs l atent filed Mar. 10, 1905, Serial No. 249,494.

Upon the, rock shalt F is loosely mounted a n ar'm provided witha cam engaging portion P an its outer endprnvidml' with a yieldi gqmrted zpper end ces's' b therein.

with a clamping device, carrying a slender blade 3*,

provided with one or more teeth each having an abru t ed to engage the cam engaging portion or heel of thearm S to raise and lower the separating blade 3 This blade is so adjusted that it will have a movement'under the influence of the cam S transversely across as ere treme edge (in this case the lower edge) of the firstiart'icle in a direction away from the remaining articles, so as to separate the first article and placeits lower edge in position to be grasped and removed by the gripper fingers. The table B forming the bottom of the hopper is recessed at the front as shown nth to allow the blade s to freely engage the first article while affording a proper support for the nest. i

It is desirable to provide. means for preventing the upward movement or the articles held by the hopper" when the separating blade engages and separates the first article and in this instance, we provide a weight W of wood, metal or other suitable material, preferably made in rectangular, form, one flange or portion lying on top of the articles D in the hopper and the other flange or portion extending downward over the first article; and said weight will be sustained in this position owing to the inclination of the hopper so long as there are any articles to be delivered, and will even-.

tually be deposited on the top edge of the'pus'h plate 0 when all the articles have been removed.

The hopper being provided with a stack of envelope,

cards, sheets or other articles to be fed, the shaft E is operated by turning the ratchet wheel E by hand until the first article is but a short distance from the delivery end of the table B, and'ovet the slot or re,- The device can then be started and the operation'will be as follows, assuming that the parts are in the position shown inFi'g'. 2.

The high point of the blade operating cam is so an ranged as to engage the separating arm S while the crank h is on its dead center, so as to give the separating device a slight lead over the gripping frame. As the drive shaft H rotates the cam will elevate the separating blade, one of the teeth of which will engage the lower edge of the first article and move it outwardly as shown in Fig. 1, into position to be engaged by the gripper fingers. The crank pin it now causes the gripper frame to rise carrying the gripper fingers, the stationary fingers g passing below the article and thl'e movable lingers above. The trip pin 9 now strikes the upper tripping projection (1 and arrests it while the further upward movement of the frame swings the'trip arm g" and rocks the rock shaft 9' carrying the fingers g until the arm carrying the spring 9 passes its median position when the spring pulls the arm sharply upward v and snaps the fingers 9 down upon the first article and clamps it between the'fingers g and 9 see Figs. 3 and 6. The swinging of the gripper frame upward also throws the pawl I rearward and operates the r 'tchct wheel E so asto movethe push plate forward an lei-d up the remaining articles. The gripper frame is'then lowered, carrying with it the article held .by the fingers, as shown in F ig. i, while the separating device 'is also lowered tooriginal position. As the frame descends the trip pin y will strike the lower projection (1 arresting it and the further movement of the frame causes the gripper lingers q to snap intoopen position as before described, releasing the article, which drops through the fingers g g into the proper position 'dcterminod for it by the location oi the'apparatns. The operation is then repeated and the articles are consecutively separated and fed. i

The articles wilivary in 1.hickness and in order to prevent the push plate frompushing the articles in the hopper too lost, it will be noted that if the first article -in the hopper has its position advanced from what it should normally be, asilldicutcd in Fig. 2 for example, the transverse rod and release arm R will be moved forward. The release arm It carries a stud (inthis instance the set screw which engages the inclined release arm p ofthe pawl I, thus depressing the arm 10 and elevating the end 31 so as to disengage it from the ratchet wheel. This will prevent any fiurther forward feeding of the articles in the hopper until'sufiicient articles have been removed to fiermit the release bar R to resume its normal position, and this mechanism in a simple manner regulatesthe position oithe articles in the hopper and compensates fonvariations in the thickress oi the articles fed. 4 c v In the iorcgoing specification and in the following claims, we have used. the term edge in referring to the portion of the first article in the hopper which is engaged by the separating, device, as meaning the edge proper as distinguished from the marginal portions of "the sheet within the limits of the edge proper.

said articles the movement of said separating device in one direction moving tlio said first article into position-to be seized by said gripper,substantially as described.

2. in an automatic feeding device for sheets, cards and envelops,-the combination-with means for supporting a plurality of articles to be fed, of a reciprocating gripper, arranged adjacent thereto, and constructed to permit the passage of the articles therethrough, and a separating device comprising a metai blade having one of its longitudinal edges provided with teeth, each having an abrupt feeding face and an inclined shoulder and meansfor drawlug said separating device longitudinally in both directions across the edge oi be first of said articles, substantially as described. I

.l. in an automatic feeding device for sheets, cards and envelops, the combination with a hopper ifor supporting the articles to be fed on edge, a gripper movable vertically, disposed adjacent to the delivery end of the hopper and constructed to permit the passage of the articles through the gripper, and a separating device comprising a blade provided with teeth, each having an abrupt feeding face and an inclined shoulder arranged'adjucent to the delivery clhd of the hopper, and means for reciprocntmg said sepmating device longitudinally across the lower edge of the first of said articles in the hopper, the movement of said separating device in one direction moving said first article into position to be engaged'by said gripper, substantially as described.

4. ln u'u automatic feeding device for sheets, cards and envelops. the combination with a hopper for supporting a :plul-nli'ly of nrticles on edge, of a movable gripper-con structed -to permit the articles to pass through the same, and arranged adjacent tosaid hopper, a separating device consisting of .a blade provided with teeth, on one of its longitudinal edges, having a transverse movement across the lower edge of the first; of said articles, and a retaining devicefor enguging the upper edges of the first article and adjiicent articles in the hopper, for preventing their accidental displacement, substantially as described. 5. In an automatic feedingdevice for sheets, cards an cn velops. the combination with supporting means for the articles to be fed, of a separating device having a movemeut transversely of an edge of the first of suid articles llllil provided with teeth to engage said edge, a movable grip'per frame carrying fingers adapted to receive the separated arti le'certain of which lingers are movable, a spring holding said movable fingers in open and also in closed position, and tripping mechanism for said movable fingers, operated by the movements of the gripper frame, substantiallyn}! described.

(l. in .nu nut'omatlc'feeding device-for sheets, cards, rind envelops, the combination with supporting means for the I stantially as described.

7. In an automatic feeding device for'shcets, cards, and

, envclops, the combination with supporting means for the articles to be fed, of a sepuruting device having a movement transversely of an edge of the first olf'said articles and provided with teeth to engage said edge, a movable gripper frame carrying fingers adapted to receive the sepalrated article, certain of which iingers are movable, a spring holding said movable fingers in open and also in closed position, :1 trip arm connected with said movable fingers, a stop. for saidtrip arm for limiting the movement of said movable fingers in a direction to open the gripping meclmnism and stationary tripping devices adapted to be brought into engagement with a. part connected with said trip arm by the movements of said gripper frame, substantially as described. r

In an apparatus for nutomntically feeding sheets,

cards, and envelops, the combination with means or supporting a plurulity of articles to be fed, of a separatingdevice movable transversely across an edge of the first of said articles, a movable gripper frame, provided with rigid gripping lingers, a rock shaft mounted in said frame and provided with movable fingers, an armconnected with said shaft, :1 spring connected with said arm and to an attaching device for holding said movable fingers in both open and closed positions, said arm being movable into positions above and below a horizontal plane passing through the'rock shaft and; the spring attaching device,

a trip arm connected with said rock shaft, a stop for limiting the movement of said movable fingers in a directlon to open the same, and stationary tripping devices brought into engagement with a. part connected with said trip arm by the movements of'said' gripper frame, substantially as described.

9. In an automatic feeding device for sheets, cards and envelops, the combination with a hopper for supporting.

arrangedbelow the delivery end 01. said hoppensnd prof vided wlt l1 grlpping jaws constructed to provide a free passage between them for theartlcles, when the jnwsare Open,-'a,s epara'ting dcviceconsisting or n toothed blade and means formcclprocating it across the {lower edge of the first article ln'tlie hopper, tomove the li rticle' into position. to beengagcd by said gripper, means for moving the gripper-vertically and means for opening and closing thegripper jaws, whereby the u'ticles will be withdrawn from thehopperand pass downward throughthe gripper,

substantially as described. a V

l .10 n an automatic feeding device for sheets, cards,-and

envelops-thecombination with a support for the articles toibeledrcomprising a supporting table and a movable push plate' fa separatingdevlce having a movement transiIely-"aci'oss the edge of the first of the articles held aid support, a. movable gripper frame, provided with grippingrdevices or receiving; and removing the separated articles, Indians for advanciug said push plate comprising an operating shaft provided with a ratchet wheel, an operating opcratively connected with the gripper frame and engaging saldra tchet wheel, a feed releasing d evice in I the path of the advancingarticles: in said support, and

:, operativ'el'y connected with snid pawl for disengaging it from said ratchet wheel substantially as described.

- 11 in en lyiutoraatic feeding device for sli'eets; cards, and envelops;-the combinutiomvvith 4 support for the articles to be fed comprisingja sdpporting table and a: movable push plate, a separating device having a movement trans- 'fan operating shafi: provided with a ratchet wheel, an op-- erstingpnwl operativeiy ooniiectedwith the gripper tname and engnging'iiiidltatM-Wl eel, e releasinbiever.

' 1-; 'hsvinga part1 yet-surnames the edge of the first at the articles held' support a release arm on said pawl and a projection on said releasing lever for engaging said pawl relehse a m to disengage said pawl from the ratchet wheel, suhstan tally as described. e

12. In an automatic teedin'g device for sheets; cards, and envelope, the. combination iwth the hopper, comprising' a" support and amovable push plate disposed perpendicularly? thereto, of a. vertically swinging gripper fi'n'me carrying rigid fingers, and a rock shnftimounted in said frame and provided with movable fingers, a spring for holding said lingers in both closed and opn positions, a tripzconnected with said shaft and'stittionnry tripplng.'projections in ranged to engage said trip and operate said movable fingels, by the movement oi? thegripper frame, a separating device comprising a yieldingly mounted bllgdeprovidod with teeth, 'said blade having n-iaovement transversely, of an edge of the first article idsaid hopper, means for reciprocating said gripper frame, means Ior reciprocating said separating device, autom tic mechanism .foradvanc 501 ing theartlcles in said hoppery'and a releasing device having a part in the path of the articles in the hopper for throwing said automatic advancing mechanism out o! operation, substantially as described.

In testimony where'of we aillx our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses. I

ROBERT E. Ksl'MPmR. ARTHUR. KuMPnn. 

